The Power of Gratitude

It’s easy to get down about yourself when you don’t have a job, and you’re having no luck finding one. But I think gratitude can change everything. So I practice it every day to remind myself that not everything is so bad. I started keeping a notebook by my bed, and I fill an entire page with all the things I’m thankful for before I go to sleep.

It’s interesting to see what’s at the top of my list these days. So many intangibles I used to take for granted before. Like being able to smell the sweet aroma of incense burning in the living room. The sound of Norah Jones playing softly in the background. Being able to read the wise words left behind by Maya Angelou. Cooling down with a cold glass of water after a long run. My health and well-being.

It’s not that I didn’t appreciate these things before. The difference is that my senses have been elevated to a new level in this situation that has made me realize nothing is guaranteed. After all, when you have so much at your disposal, it’s easy to miss the small things – in some cases the most important things. But life always has a way of getting you to refocus, and puts it all in perspective for you. For me, it only took divorce and unemployment.

I don’t know what’s ahead, but for the first time in a long time, I’m not all that scared. My fear and anxiety about the future has decreased significantly. And I know it has everything to do with that fact that I’m focusing on gratitude. Because when you pause to say thank you for each and every single blessing that comes your way, it keeps you pretty busy, and you don’t have time for much else.